88 



XCL— MARANTACE^. 



THE ARROWROOT TRIBE, Lind. Nat. Syst. p 267. 



CANNA, Monandria Monogynia. From the Hebrew for a reed 

 or cane. 



1 . C Indica. — Native of the Eastern Islands, Roxb. Fl. 2, p 1 ; 

 Bot. Mag. «. 454; Rheede Mai. 11, «. 43 ; Bot. Cab. «. 739; 

 Rumph. Arab. 5, t. 71,/. 2. — In gardens, everywhere conspicuous 

 by its bright-red flowers, and sheathing cauline leaves, and in 

 flower all the year. The seeds black, and round like a Pea, yield 

 a beautiful but evanescent purple dye. 



2. C LuTEA. — Is a more rare species than the former, and 

 shows leaves more lanceolate, with bright-yellow flowers. This 

 afibrds the amylaceous food, called Tous-les-mois, of the West 

 Indies. 



3. C Latifolia, C flaccida, and C speciosa, are not known to 

 us as distinct species, but points of difference, if pointed out, 

 will be carefully attended to. 



4. C Discolor. — This species, a native of Japan, does seem 

 entitled to rank as a distinct one. It is much more robust in habit. 

 The leaves are variously shaded from purple at the edges to green 

 in the centre. 



5. C Nepalensis, Wallich. — Said to be the most beautiful 

 genus ; introduced by the late Mr. Nimmo. We have failed to 

 find any trace of it in gardens at Bombay or in the Deccan. Can 

 any information be afforded t'egarding it ? 



MAUANTA, Linn., Monandria Monogynia. 



6. M Zebrina, M ramosissima — ^The latter, with long clavate 

 tubers, much resembhng the West India Arrowroot, was formerly 

 cultivated in the Botanical Gardens, but has disappeared. The 

 amylaceous product (Arrowroot) did not appear to be in any respect 

 superior to that of our indigenous species. 



XCIL— MUSACE^, Sweet. Hort. Brit, p 392. 



THE BANANA TRIBE, Lind. Nat. Syst. p 268. 



MUSA, Polygamia Monoecia. 



1. IVI Sapientum. — " Khela," Hindoostanee and Maratha. 

 Roxb. Fl.l, p 663; Rheede Mai. 1, <.12tol4; Rumph Amb. 5, «. 

 60 and 61 ; Pliny Nat. Hist. 13, 12; Hamilton in Linn. Trans. 13, p 

 376; Ainslie Nat. Ind. 1, p 316 ; Roxb. Cor. p 3 to 275.— The 

 cultivated Plantains, of which there are many varieties. The most 

 esteemed are the red (Banana), the Soneree (small Plantains), and 



